Get the Jump on Someone

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Did you have a nice time at the school dance last night?

To tell you the truth, I would have enjoyed myself more if I had been able to go with Teresa instead of Elena.

Why didn’t you ask Teresa in the first place?

I was about to, but Benito got the jump on me.

How did he manage to do that?

He got the advantage over me by telling Teresa that if she went with him, he’d take her out to dinner and then to the dance in his brand new convertible.

Well, now, she can hardly be blamed for accepting an offer like that!